The present invention relates to an illuminator apparatus that can be attached to the shaft of a screwdriver, drill bit, drive bar extension, and similar tools having elongated shafts, by sliding the elongated shaft of the tool through longitudinal aperatures aligned with the longitudinal axis of the illuminator apparatus. Light from the apparatus then illuminates a specific surface, and oftentimes a relatively small work area, to enable a workperson to better see the particular task he is attempting to perform. Thus, the illuminator attachment on the shaft of a screwdriver, the shaft of a drill bit, or the shaft of the drive bar extension, illuminates the screw to be turned, the work piece to be drilled, or the bolt head to be turned, all commonly in a relatively darkened work area. The darkened area may be a hazardous area such as within an electrically live control, junction or receptacle box where safety may be of paramount importance, especially if only one workperson is trying to work near the electrically live connectors and hold a flashlight at the same time! Additionally, but primarily for the convenience of the worker, the illuminator attachment provides shadow-free light on a surface to be drilled enabling more precise location of the drill bit to the work surface. Similarly, the illuminator attachment on a drive bar extension can simplify the tightening (or loosening) of a bolt in a relatively darkened work area.
Screwdrivers that have a light within the handle portion of the screwdriver are known in the prior art such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,217,657, which appears to be a conventional flashlight with a screwdriver attached to the lens of the flashlight to illuminate the screw to be turned by the screwdriver. Also, it is known that Sears, Roebuck and Company has a screwdriver offered for sale, identified by the trademark "TOOL-LITE", that utilizes lights within the handle of the screwdriver to illuminate the workplace.
Prior to the present invention, there existed no attachments that could be simply attached to the shaft of the screwdriver, drill bit, or drive bar extension, that would adapt a presently existing screwdriver, drill bit or drive bar extension to an illuminating hand tool to effectively illuminate the work surface. Nor has any prior attachment been interchangeable between various diameter drill bits, screwdrivers, or drive bar extensions.
In most applications, illumination when working with a screwdriver, drill bit or drive bar extension is not needed and the presently existing screwdrivers, drills and socket sets are the most practical and efficient tools to be used. But there are times, such as when using a screwdriver to make electrical connections within an electrically live control junction, that additional light on a specific surface provides the extra safety, accuracy, and convenience so desired by the workperson. In such situations, the apparatus of the present invention can be readily added to a common screwdriver and provide additional safety by illuminating the workplace so that potentially dangerous electrical shocks can be avoided. After the need for additional illiminator is completed, this apparatus can be readily removed from the screwdriver and thus the screwdriver is readily returned to its normal balanced, durable, and effective design for normal uses. Thus, the present invention provides for more safety in working in an electrically live control box; especially if only one person is available to do the work, and both hands are required to perform such work, one can not, therefore, effectively hold a flashlight in one hand and perform such work safely around the electrically live wires. Although the attachment can be readily switched from the screwdriver to drill bits of different diameters, the attachment is not rigidly secured to the drill bit, therefore, if a portion of someone's clothing came into contact with the turning attachment on a drill bit, the drill bit would be free to continue rotating within the stopped attachment and thus the attachment would not cause the clothing to be wrapped about the drill bit. A still further advantage of the present invention is that since the attachment can be readily added to or taken off of the screwdriver, drill bit, or drive bar extension, the effective design of the tool, as it is normally used, is not altered for its normal uses.